Reno, Nevada

On the drive to Nevada, there is natural beauty all around — lush pine forests, shimmering lakes, rolling hills, grasslands that go on forever.

And then you get to Reno, and it’s the exact opposite.

Your hotel is themed and chock full of casinos and manufactured entertainment from circus acts and carnivals to fake storefronts and food. Add a few entertainers past their prime and some feather boas, and call it a night. Going to the 24-hour wedding chapel after you’ve indulged in 2-for-1 drinks the size of fishbowls is a bad idea. Getting your fortune told by Zoltar is a safer bet.

Cleanup crews were tidying the main drag after the Street Vibrations Rally and Tattoo Expo when I did a walkabout, which is why there are no cars and few, if any, people in the photos below.

Just two streets away are remnants of a Reno hailing back to an era when the Nugget was the biggest casino and all-you-can-eat buffets were a thing.

Wow, a heated pool! 😀

San Francisco to Reno: 223 milesStay: Silver Legacy at $56/night but they made their profit in foodMemorable meal: A 12-ounce prime rib, medium rare, at Sterling’sSong of the Day: Hot Girls in Love by Loverboy